Friday John 19:1-16

Pilate condemns Jesus.

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The religious leaders delivered Jesus to Pilate with the intention that he be executed. Pilate seems reluctant to kill Jesus. It is not because he is such a nice guy. He didn’t hesitate to kill anyone who threatened the peace or Roman rule. Some of it may be that he does not want to be backed into a corner by the Jewish leaders. He is not their hit-man. It may be because Pilate’s wife warned him that she had experienced a dream about Jesus. Notice that when the Jewish leaders tell Pilate that Jesus claimed to be the son of God that Pilate reacted with fear.

If Pilate were really afraid of the Jewish leaders, he could have had them all arrested or replaced Caiaphas as the high priest. I suspect he had a fear that there was something spiritual about Jesus. He was very clear to show that he did not condemn Jesus but the Jewish leaders did. He had Jesus flogged. He offered to release Jesus to the crowd, but he eventually relented and ordered that Jesus be executed.

Pilate tried to impress Jesus with his power and authority. Jesus was unimpressed. Even the power of Rome is nothing compared to the power of God. We often forget the real power of God and depend on our own power. We are afraid of the earthly powers that seem to oppose the movement of God, yet we know that the real struggle is spiritual and God is the superior power.

If Jesus could face torture and death confidently because of the power of God, then we should be able to face whatever we have to face in our lives.